Vail Daily column: The hCG medical diet

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hCG is a hormone found naturally in our bodies, and when you add it as a supplementation, it can be your key to weight loss success. hCG allows patients to reduce caloric intake effectively without the side effects that usually derail weight loss goals.

hCG has been used as a diet aid for decades after it was discovered that patients could eat drastically less without uncontrollable cravings, irritability and exhaustion. hCG has the ability to help burn excess fat, not essential tissue that the body needs for critical systemic function. It also resets your metabolism, allowing the body to burn fat in a way that normalizes your hunger and helps you lose weight safely and effectively.

The majority of men and women can use hCG for weight loss. It is quite effective for people who regularly diet and exercise but cannot seem to get rid of those "last few pounds."

What is hCG and how does it work?

hCG stands for "Human Chorionic Gonadotropin." hCG is naturally occurring in both men and women, but it is produced in excess by the placenta during pregnancy to act as a safety net. If a pregnant woman's caloric intake falls too low, the body senses an emergency and sends a message to the hypothalamus to pull fat from the body's reserve fat stores (adipose tissue). These reserve fat stores provide an excellent source of energy. hCG does not take fat from structural fat - necessary fat around our vital organs, our eyes, and around muscle tissue.

In order to get the body to sense that there is an "emergency" hCG dieters follow a very specific diet of 500 calories, and only certain food may be eaten that do not trigger the body to stop releasing fat. When followed properly, the body will release 1,000-4,000 calories into the bloodstream daily.

On the hCG medical weight loss program you will eat two meals and two snacks per day. You will choose from a variety of foods that your whole family can also enjoy: lean chicken, fish, beef, seafood selections, fruits, veggies, coffee and tea.

The hCG Weight Loss program offered by ThriveMD combines careful monitoring of a medically supervised weight loss program with important nutritional guidance. You will start with three short weeks of dieting, followed by three weeks of supervised stabilization and then three weeks of maintenance. Only low key exercise is recommended during the program; 20 minutes of brisk walking and a few push ups or sit ups each day. This is because exercise burns calories and causes your hunger to increase.

Most individuals on the hCG protocol will lose up to two pounds per day. Most dieters feel full, satisfied, and full of energy while on the protocol.

What about the safety and side effects of the hCG Diet?

There are rarely side effects reported while using hCG for weight loss. When hCG is used for fertility reasons, the larger amount is known to cause occasional headaches, and pregnancy symptoms. However, the amount differences between the hCG diet protocol and hCG used for fertility purposes is significantly different in quantity.

About ThriveMD

ThriveMD is the only medical practice in the Vail Valley that offers the hCG medical diet. ThriveMD is located at 56 Edwards Village Blvd., Suite 113 in Edwards. For more information, call 970-766-VAIL or visit www.thrivemdvail.com.

Brandt completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and attended medical school at Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He then completed his anesthesiology residency training and internship at the University of Illinois and Michael Reese Hospitals in Chicago.

As a resident in anesthesiology, Brandt specialized in interventional pain management. Since 1997, this focus has kept him on the leading edge of medical innovations that provide longer lasting solutions for acute and chronic pain, including stem cell therapy and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.